Picture-frame.



No. 718,281.` PATENTBD JAN. 1a, 1903.

J. R. ROUNTREE. y PICTURE FRAME.l

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 26, 1901.

N0 MODEL 15gg Z ,a-zag UNITED STATES JOSEPH R. ROUNTREE,

lPATENT FFIC;

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PICTU RE-FRAM E.

SPECIFICATION frming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 718,281, dated January 13, 1903.

Application {iled December 26, 1901. Serial No. 87.313. (No model.) Y

To all whom it Wto/.y concern: Y i

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. ROUNTREE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Picture-Frame, of which the following isaspeeication. Y

This invention relates generally to pictureframes, and particularly to that class whereinA the glass plate which serves as a mounting' and protector for the picture or photograph constitutes at once a 'frame and a means for exhibition of ornamental matter adjunctive to the picture to set off the same and to enhance the beauty of the frame as a whole The object of the invention is in a ready, cheap, and feasible manner to mount a photograph or picture upon a plate of glass and to ornament the glass by imparting thereto Ya unique Iinish operating to give a varied wooded effect to the frame, the ornamentation subserving the added function of a protector to shield the photograph or picture applied to the glass from the destructive action of dampnessV and of dust.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel picture-frame and method of ornamenting the same, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. y

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the vsame into practical operation, it being linderstood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention, and in these drawings- Figure l is a view in elevation of a pictureframe characterizing this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, and exhibiting the disposition or order of arrangement of the elements constituting the frame.

In carrying the invention into effect a plate of glass l, which may be of any preferred shape, is taken and thoroughly cleansed in warm water and then dried. The picture 2 to be applied to the glass, and which may be a photograph, colored-or otherwise, a painting, or an etching or engraving, the term picture herein employed being generic to include either of these, is wetted with water, Vvpreferably warm, and applied to the glass and ,pressed down smoothly thereon, water being preferred as a dampenin g agent, as it contains lnothing that would tend to discolor the picture or cause it to fade. in situ an oak stain is applied to the glass around the photograph in the form of an ornamental panel, (designated by 3,) which may be of the shape shown or otherwise, and is allowed to dry. The panel then has applied to it a thin coatli of' melted gelatin or other suitable adhesive, .transparent in character, to which is applied a sheet 5 of yellow paper grained to represent oak and to constitute an ornamental background,the paper being held in position upon the panel by the gelatin and being smoothed down thereon in any preferred manner, as by a roller. A coat 6 of transparent red paint is then applied to the glass around the panel to present a field 7, and when dry has applied to it a thin coat 8 of melted gelatin or other transparent adhesive. To this coat is applied a sheet 9 of red paper grained to represent, say, rosewood, which extends entirely across the frame and constitutes-a second ornamental background, and over this is placed a backing l0 of paper which has applied to it a thin coat of glue or other suitable adhesive for holding it in position. Both the oak stain andthe red stain or paint are to be transparent, so that the grained paper will show therethrough, giving to the glass from the front the appearance of a highlypolished piece'of inlaid wood or buhlwork. A frame constructed as described will have a panel of oak and a field of rosewood, and as the contrast between these two colors is striking, one helping to define the other, theproduct will be unique and highly ornamental in character. It is to be understood, of course,

that woods other than oak and rosewood may be imitated, or the ideas may becarried into effect by having an ornamental panel and field representing a substance other than wood, and as this will be readily apparent detailed After the picture is ICO illustration is deemed unnecessary. A picture mounted in the manner described will be positively shielded against intrusion of mois ture and of dust. As a means for suspending the frame thus constructed a chain ll may be secured around the edge of the glass plate, or any other form of suspending means is employed that may be preferred in lieu thereof.

While the procedure herein described is stated as for ornamenting picture-frames, it is to be understood that the same may be readily applied for ornamenting panels or tiles to present a cheap substitute for woodwork or for use in any other art Where its employment would be advantageous.

Having thus fully described myinventiou, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a plate of glass having applied to one side thereof a transparent stain or paint, and a background placed over the stain and bearing a design to show therethrough.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a plate of glass having applied to one side thereof a transparent stain, and a flexible background placed over the stain and bearing a design to show therethrough.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a plate of glass having applied to one side thereof. a transparent stain, and a paper background placed over the stain and bearing a design to show therethrough.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a plate of glass having applied to one side thereof transparent Varicolored stains, and backgrounds placed over the stains and bearing designs to show therethrough.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a picture-frame having a picture applied to one side thereof, a transparent stain applied to the glass around the pictu re,and a background placed over the stain and bearing a design to show therethrough.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a picture-frame comprising a plate of glass having a picture applied to one side thereof, a transparent stain applied to the glass around the picture, an ornamental background secured by a suitable adhesive upon the stain, a second transparent stain applied around the said background,asecond ornamental background secured to the second stain bya suitable adhesive, and a protecting-backing secured over the second background.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH R. ROUNTREE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE MCVITTIF., CHARLES N. MoRToN. 

